"Megan," she said. "Griffin asked me to help out tonight."
"Great. We can always use more help."
"I'll see you later, Annie," Megan said, as she moved toward the kitchen.
As Megan left, Justin turned to her. "Anything else I can get you right now? I need to get ready for my shift."
"I'm good, and I will pay for this myself. I'm your teacher, so you can't say no."
"Well, if you put it like that…"
"I do. I'll start thinking about some designs tonight."
When Justin went back to work, she picked up her spoon and dug into the thick soup. It was filled with chicken, tortilla strips, vegetables and cheese, and it was as good if not better than the burger she'd had two nights ago. No wonder the Depot was always crowded. They didn't just have drinks; they had really exceptional food.
While she ate, she pulled out her notepad and started doodling. Instead of focusing on her cast of superhero characters, she thought about Christmas and the train station and the kids Griffin wanted to provide toys for.
She didn't really know what he wanted; he probably didn't know, either.
She could do the usual holiday stuff, but she wanted something better than that, more personal, more intriguing. Playing around a little more, she drew elements of the train station, wondering if she could tie in a theme of trains, change, new adventure.
"What are you doing?" Griffin's question drew her head up. He was staring down at her notepad. "What are you drawing?"
"Justin asked me to help him come up with a design for your holiday event—for flyers and T-shirts." She licked her lips. "I'm an artist."
"Yeah, I can see that," he said in his usual gruff tone. "But Justin was supposed to do it."
"And he feels guilty that he might not be ready to actually do what he told you he could do. He has some talent, but he's a beginner."
"I can't pay you, Annie."
"I wasn't asking you to. It sounds like it's for a good cause." She was happy he hadn't tried to throw her out of the bar, which based on yesterday's conversation might have been a distinct possibility. "I'd like to help out. But I will need more information about it, especially the charity aspect. I'm not familiar with Hamilton House. Could you tell me something about it?"
He stared back at her, indecision in his eyes. "I told Justin I'd take him to Hamilton House tomorrow."
"Can I come along? It would be helpful to see the place, meet the kids."
"I suppose," he said with a sigh.
"What a fantastic invitation," she said dryly. "For someone who's doing you a favor."
"Someone who I didn't ask."
"Justin asked me. Same thing."
"It's not at all the same thing. I was going to go at three thirty tomorrow. The place fills up after school, and I thought it would be good for Justin to see it when it's busy, when the kids are there."
"I can do it then."
"You don't have a job?"
"I teach on Mondays and Wednesdays and I'm currently interviewing for some other jobs, so I have a little time."
"All right."
Since their conversation appeared to be over, she expected him to leave. Instead, he took the chair across from her and after a momentary hesitation, he said, "Why are you getting so tangled up in my life, Annie?"
Her jaw dropped at the blunt question. Looking into Griffin's amazing blue eyes made her even more uncomfortable.
Why was she getting so tangled up in his life?
She probably should at least know the answer, even if she didn't want to say it.
"I wouldn't say I'm entangled. I'm in between jobs and I'm new to the area, so I have more free time than I normally do. Your bar is nice. Don't you want people to come here?"
"You're not helping out with the event because you think you owe me for saving your life, are you?"
"No. I'm grateful for that, but I don't think I owe you anymore."
"Why not? I saved you from sharks."
"And you've made it clear you're not interested in hearing thanks, so I'm done saying it."
"Good." He paused. "Then let me ask you another question."
"And here I thought I was the nosy one."
He ignored that pointed comment. "Do you think I'm holding Megan against her will, that I'm hurting her in some way?"
"It crossed my mind on Saturday night," she admitted. "But Megan told me yesterday that you're helping her, and since she's moving freely around the bar tonight, I guess I believe her. I still don't understand what's going on."
"Not everything is your business."
"I know that."
He shook his head, an odd look in his eyes now. "You're…"
"A caring, kind person," she offered when he couldn't seem to come up with a word.
A gleam entered his eyes, and it sent a different kind of shiver down her spine.
"We'll go with that for now," he said. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"I guess you will," she said, as he got to his feet.
As Griffin walked away, she couldn't take her eyes off him. She'd thought he was attractive the first time she'd seen him. Then his bad attitude had cast a darker glow around him. Tonight, she'd almost gotten a smile, and her mind had changed again. Who knew what she would think of him tomorrow…or what he would think of her…
Six
Tuesday afternoon, Griffin was regretting his impulsive invitation to take Annie to Hamilton House. Wasn't he just inviting more trouble?
Not that Annie seemed to need an invitation to pop up in his life. At least this way, he wouldn't be surprised by her sudden appearance; he wouldn't feel blindsided, like he had every other previous time that he'd run into her. Today, he would control the situation. At least, that was the plan…
But he had a feeling when Annie was involved, things just happened.
And the last thing he needed was unexpected things happening.
Megan came up to the bar with an order for two draft beers. While she'd spent most of yesterday in the kitchen, today she'd decided to help out waiting tables, and he was amazed at how much her entire attitude had changed since she'd found a purpose in her life. He didn't know if it was their conversation that had helped her turn the corner, or if it was what Annie had said to her, but at this point he was happy to see her feeling and acting as normal as she could possibly be under the circumstances.
"I have to take off for a few hours," he told her. "It should be pretty slow until about five. Danielle will be manning the bar while I'm gone. And Vinnie is in the kitchen if you need anything."
"It's been pretty quiet since the lunch crowd left," she said, as he filled two mugs with beer. "I'm sure it will be fine."
"You're doing a good job."
"Thanks."
As the door opened, both he and Megan turned their heads.
Annie breezed into the bar, and he sucked in a quick breath. He'd thought he'd been ready to see her again, but as it turned out—he wasn't. Every time he saw her, he noticed something new. The first time at the beach, it had been her big, green, terrified eyes that had drawn him in. When she'd come to the bar, he'd realized her dark-blonde hair was actually streaked with red, and that those fiery flames matched her personality, a personality that was becoming more and more vibrant every time he saw her.
And, of course, he'd be a liar not to admit that he'd noticed her bikini curves that first day on the beach, but today dressed in slim-fitting black jeans and a sheer silky top that hinted at some lacy camisole beneath it, she looked even sexier, her pale, slightly freckled skin glowing, her eyes bright, her full lips parted in a tentative smile.
Dammit! What the hell was he thinking inviting her to go with him to Hamilton House? He wanted to spend less time with her—not more. He wanted to forget about her, not get closer to her. He needed to make this just about business. She was going to do a design for him. He was providing a research opportunity. It wasn't a date—definitely not a date.
Not that he really kne
w what a date felt like anymore. It had been a while since he'd asked anyone out. Maybe too long. Perhaps that's why he was having such a strong physical reaction to a woman who had already proved herself to be way too curious about his life and his relationships. He valued privacy and personal space, and Annie seemed to have no respect for either.
But she was here, and it was too late to back out on today's outing, no matter how much he wanted to.
"Hi, Megan," Annie said. "Griffin."
He gave her a nod, then watched as Annie gave Megan a hug.
Megan seemed a bit surprised by Annie's affection, which was understandable since Megan had been living in an alternate reality the past few months. But she also seemed very happy to see Annie.
"How's your day going?" Annie asked Megan.
"Pretty good. I haven't messed up any orders."
"That's fast. My waitressing days were filled with a lot of messed-up orders."
"I thought you said you were an artist," he interrupted, not sure why he was challenging her, but there was something about Annie that made him nervous, so he kept going on offense, thinking that was the best defense.
"I am an artist, but in college, I was also a waitress. I've actually had a lot of different jobs. But you probably don't want to hear about all that." She cleared her throat. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes," he said, coming around the bar. "Let's do this."
"See you later, Megan," Annie said.
"If you want to eat dinner together, I'll be here," Megan said, an uncertain note in her voice. "But only if you want to. I know you were here last night. You probably have other stuff to do."
Hearing Megan's shy invitation, he felt conflicted over what he wanted Annie to say. If she said yes, she'd be helping him out with Megan, but she'd also be spending more time in the bar.
"I'd love to eat with you," Annie said. "It sounds great."
"Okay, great. I'll see you later."
Annie turned to him. "Are you driving?"
"Yeah, my car is out back." He led her out of the bar, down the hallway, and through the back door to employee's lot.
As he always did, he made a quick scan of the area before flipping the locks on his SUV.
As Annie buckled her seat belt, he started the car, checked the rearview and side view mirrors and then backed out.
"You seem more cautious than I would have thought," Annie commented, as he pulled into the street and drove past the front of the bar.
"What?" he asked, his gaze still skimming along the cars parked near the entrance to the bar. None of them appeared to be occupied; that was good.
"Are you looking for someone or something?" she asked.
"No," he said shortly, irritated that she'd caught him and more annoyed that he was losing his once excellent covert skills.
"There it is," she said with a sigh. "The scowl. It's back. Is it just me who brings it on, or is it everyone?"
"It's you."
"Most people like me."
"You'll have to introduce me to some of those people some time."
"You already know two of them—Justin and Megan."
"Justin wants a good grade, and Megan doesn't have any friends here," he couldn't help pointing out.
She made a face at him. "I can scowl, too, you know."
He almost smiled, but somehow he held it back. "I'd look in the mirror before you try that again."
She sat back in her seat and folded her arms across her chest. "Let's talk about Hamilton House."
"Great idea. What do you want to know?"
"Justin told me that they offer help to underprivileged children, many of whom are in foster care or living in shelters."
"Yes, and there's also a focus on helping kids whose parents are incarcerated. There's a huge generation of children growing up with parents who are in jail."
"That's sad. How did you get involved?"
"I heard about what they were doing, and I decided to volunteer."
"Very generous."
"I don't do that much."
"If you did, you wouldn't admit it. I don't know you very well, but I do know that you do not like to brag about anything heroic."
"Because I'm not a hero," he said flatly.
"All evidence to the contrary."
"Fine. I was a hero when I saved you from the sharks, but that's it. That's where it ends."
"What about Megan? You're helping her in some way."
"That's called being a friend."
"Megan isn't your friend."
"She's not yours, either, but you seem to want to help her," he returned.
"That's true," she admitted. "I do want to help Megan. She seems like a lost soul. I know you're not going to tell me her story, but I wish I knew what was going on with her."
"It's not my story to tell."
"You're right," she said, surprising him with her answer.
He'd thought she'd pester him all the way to Hamilton House with questions about Megan.
"So, what's your story?" she continued.
He inwardly groaned. He should have anticipated that would be her next question. As he stopped at a light, he glanced over at her and saw the smile in her eyes. She knew he didn't want to talk about his personal life, but she didn't care. And there was a part of him that kind of liked her gutsy curiosity.
"My story is too long for this short trip," he said.
"Give me the highlights. We'll start with something easy. Are you from San Clemente?"
"No."
"Want to give me a section of the country?"
"Midwest."
"Not a lot of ocean waves to ride in the Midwest."
"Nope."
"What about family? Brothers, sisters, parents?"
He thought about her questions and decided to give her enough to keep her happy. "Mom died young. Dad is a mechanic. No siblings."
"Does your father still live in the Midwest?"
"No, he doesn't."
"How often do you see him?"
"Rarely."
"What about extended family?"
"I have one grandfather still alive. He's doing all right." As he thought about his grandfather, he felt a little sad. If there was one person in his life who he missed, it was that old man.
"Do you see him?"
"No. What about you? What's your story?"
"Well, it has a lot more people in it than yours. You really don't give much away, Griffin."
"How many people are in your family?"
"I have two parents and five siblings in my immediate family."
"That is a lot. Where are you in the order?" he asked curiously. "Wait, let me guess."
"You're not going to be able to guess."
He thought for a moment. "Let's see. You're bossy, so you could be on the older end. On the other hand, you tend to push yourself into things that don't involve you, which might suggest you're on the younger end. I'm going to go with middle—three or four."
She frowned. "I am not that bossy or that pushy."
"Am I right?"
"I'm fourth," she admitted, a grumpy note in her voice.
"Bingo."
"I have three older brothers and two younger sisters—they're twins."
"I knew it. You boss your sisters around, but you're also looking for a little attention, so you can stand out in the crowd."
"I only boss them around when they need it," she said defensively. "But these days, there is very little bossing. They're both settled in their lives. Kate lives in DC. She's an FBI agent and her boyfriend Devin is a former agent turned private investigator. Mia runs an art gallery in Angel's Bay and is married to Jeremy, an ex-soldier turned cop. He has a daughter from another relationship, but Mia just told me yesterday that she's pregnant, so it looks like their family is expanding." She took a breath. "Kate and Mia are really wonderful people. I miss them."
He could hear the genuine affection in her voice. "What about your brothers?"
"Dylan is the oldest; he's a
firefighter. So is Hunter, who is third in our line-up. Firefighting is the family business, by the way. My grandfather, my father, my uncle, and a bunch of cousins are all firefighters."
"What about your other brother?"
"Ian is a scientist. He's brilliant and his IQ is off the charts. I have no idea what he actually does, but I know he helps people. My family is amazing, not just my siblings and parents but my cousins as well."
"But?" he asked, hearing an odd note in her voice.
"But there are a lot of overachievers in the family. Callaways are born to serve and protect. We're raised with the idea that we need to give back. We need to do something that helps people. Most have followed in that tradition, but there are a few of us who haven't."
"Like yourself."
"Yes. Being an artist is who I am, but it's not really the Callaway way."
"Does your family give you a hard time?"
"That's the thing—they don't. And if I told them I sometimes feel out of step with everyone else, they'd say I was crazy."
"You might be crazy," he said lightly.
She smiled. "I might be. Sorry I rambled on. I tend to talk too much, especially when I'm nervous."
"Are you nervous?" The question came out before he could stop it.
"A little. You're not the easiest person to be around, Griffin. I don't know what I did to piss you off."
He let out a sigh. "You didn't really do anything."
"Then why all the annoyance?"
"I'm a private person, and you don't have much respect for boundaries."
"That might be true," she conceded. "But I'm interested in people, in things. I'm an observer. It feeds my art."
And her words only reminded him that keeping her at a distance was a good idea. It just didn't seem particularly practical considering how close they were right now. He decided to change the subject back to her family. "Where does your family live?"
"Aside from Mia, most are currently in San Francisco. Hunter is traveling the world, so I don't know where he calls home these days."
"How did you end up here?"
"I went to UCLA for college. After that I got a job in LA doing graphic design for an advertising agency for a few years. It paid well but it was not what I wanted to do with my art."
Cant Let Go GO PL Page 6
